StlRecruiting

Why Recruiters Should Use VOIP

I'm at a WiFi hot spot right now.  My phone has spotty coverage, and I can't really take business calls, but that's okay - I have Vonage.

Franki and I went for Vonage two years ago when our cellphones didn't work so hot in the condo and we wanted to have free calling for clients.  It worked very well, with the occasional problem of not being able to  upload on files and talk on the phone at the same time.  Okay, that was kind of annoying - but free calling to Canada and the US made it all worthwhile, and those problems have resolved themselves.

Not bad for $30 a month.

We moved into an office in November, and picked up a land line.  It's like $60, and I don't even give the number out.  Instead, I forwarded my Vonage account - thus letting me keep the same business number, and making no difference for the caller when I'm at home or work.  But that's not the real benefit.  The vonage dashboard is.  I track all of my calls and voicemails online.  I can call-forward, Simulring (phone rings at two places at the same time), transfer, conference call, and more, all through my online dashboard.

What this means is that I'm connected and can login to see who has called me and what they're saying.

Even if you don't go for VOIP, I highly recommend getting a VOIP account, and making that your primary number.  The advantages of managing your phone system online are too big to ignore (are you listening, AT&T?).  Vonage is what I use, and if you do sign up, make sure to add me as a referrer so we both get 2 months of free service.   My referrer code is 3144855480. 

This was an unpaid endorsement, made because I was checking my voicemail online and haven't blogged in a few days.

Small Businesses: Three Steps to Integrate Internships to Develop Candidates for Future

The following is a Recruiting Blogswap guest post from Tahjia Chapman.

Small businesses can leverage the recruitment process by integrating successful internship programs into their companies. The process is simple:  develop an internship outline with objectives, provide students with career related experience, and recognize students whom excel within the program. The list is quite short, but the most innovative internships withhold these three necessities.

Small businesses can use an internship to create a funnel of talented recruiters for future employment with their company. Develop a program with learning objectives. The first step to integrating a successful internship is by developing a program with learning objectives.  While planning, the company must address its needs by surveying current staff of strengths and weaknesses. The survey will pinpoint aspects of the small business that needs improvement through human resource’s recruiting efforts. The best way to outline learning objectives (or milestones) is by evaluating the staff in each department of the small business. Without an understanding what the small business needs, the recruiting process may become blurred.

AT&T DSL Service

I'm down here at our new office, alternating between working and scrubbing the floor to get rid of the paint spills (we had paper down, but nobody's perfect).  AT&T told me they would be here between the hours and 8 and 5 to install DSL, so I brought laptop with an EVDO card and have been waiting, terrified someone would show and I would miss them.

Cue the jokes. 

Wait. That's not what this is about.  I just got a call (and an e-mail) from the technician, telling me he was on the way.  I've never had that happen before.  And I also found out I get free AT&T WIFI hotspots with the DSL package.  And when I called, they were able to track my account quickly and give me the info I needed.

Color me impressed.  In fact, I like it so much that I would recommend it to any business owner.

I have but two complaints, or rather suggestions.

1) The AT&T website doesn't give me easy access to phone numbers - even to buy.  I'm a child of the internet, but I'm much more comfortable calling then ordering service online.  At least on the phone, I can ask if there are problems.  I'd be worried about picking up a service package and then getting locked into it, based on past experience with phone companies.  Seriously, when it takes me a while to find phone numbers, the average online customer is going to be lost.  You need a big button with a number, on each page.

2) I think it's great that you call, but you could have let me know that you were going to call. I didn't have to be here all day, and if I didn't have EVDO, I'd be in trouble. I would have lost a whole day.  be more forceful. Don't tel me 8-5. Tell me you'll call me ahead of time. 

Otherwise, good job AT&T DSL/phone service.  And your truck just arrived.

2)

Getting Service From Monopolies and Near-Monopolies

It turns out the AT&T website was down yesterday.  I talked with a very nice lady today (people are always nice when they are signing you up for something).  It worked out okay - I'm paying about $104 after taxes for phone, unlimited long distance, and DSL up to 3 megs, but I can't help but think I'm overpaying.  Charter never called me back, so I don't know what they would have charged.

And the sad part is I have to keep paying for Vonage, because I can't transfer that number to my new office.  Incompatible switches in Creve Coeur and Ladue.  So now I have to forward the Vonage phone  from the  home office to the office office.  Luckily, I can do that online.  Let me tell you something.  If the world made sense, AT&T would buy Vonage, scrap their website, and let you navigate your account like Vonage does.  I can change service plans, turn features like call forwarding and call waiting on and off, look at and pay my bill, download voicemails to play on the desktop, and forward referrals to a friend to make $25.  It's easy, simple, and if it weren't for the fact that the reliability is somewhat sketchy (rumor unchecked says it's because Charter slows down the Vonage packets), I'd never leave Vonage.

But it does, and I can't afford to miss phone calls or have my voice fade in and out when Franki's online.  So there it is.

I then went to the Ameren and Laclede websites (local electric and gas companies).  Ameren had a form online to fill out for service, but the form was broken.  I informed the nice lady on the phone that it was, but forget to tell her the phone numbers for Ameren aren't posted anywhere convenient to call in.

Laclede put me on hold for 8 minutes, so I hung up.

It's amazing how difficult it is to get companies to accept your money.  At least today, everyone was polite about it.

I'm Trying To Get To The AT&T Website To Buy DSL

The AT&T website is down.  I can't get to the site to buy DSL service.  It reminds me of the time that A&W was out of rootbeer.   We're moving to a new office in Ladue, and we need us some internet.

Anyone else nervous about my ability to get online?  Charter might be an option, but they don't know if they have service in Ladue.  No one has called me back. Originally, I talked to a Charter Rep in another state, but they said they couldn't help me, and someone local would call me back in 24-48 hours.  We're going on 96. hours.

We have Vonage, which we've been happy about, but too many people are complaining about VOIP (rumor has it that Charter slows down the Vonage packets) fading in and out when we're online.   So we were going to switch, but no one wants our business.

And so our internet access and phone bill is about to go up $30, without free long distance.  Do you know what really stinks?  With Vonage, I don't get phone calls from telemarketers.  No one has the number except my credit card companies (who call to offer stuff, but rarely).  The second I get a business line, salesmen are going to start calling thinking I need to buy a postage meter, or legal, or any of a dozen other things that a business our size simply can't use.  And we don't quality for the Do Not Call list.

A pox on all their houses.  And on Congress, for being such spineless twits to the telecom lobbyists.  You guys do know that we just stopped paying the Spanish American War tax on phone service, right?

Business Loans From Wells Fargo Not So Special

Franki and I have business lines of credit with Wells Fargo and with Bank of America.  Bank of America is a prime rate, a nice line of credit, and fits seamlessly into our current online banking.

Wells Fargo - we have yet to get into our online banking statement because they don't know our passcodes, and their system is so hopelessly complicated that they can't tell us which account number (we have 3) will allow us to access our account. 

Bank of America is a pleasure to work with.  We pay our bills on time, hold some money on the credit line, and have been more than satisfied with what they do.

Wells Fargo, well, let me share my last call with you.  This is the Wells Fargo Business Line, for the Wlls Fargo Business Banking Center.

Wells Fargo calls every six months or so and asks us if we want some money.  We don't need it, but it's never a bad idea to have multiple lines of credit, so we accept it, even though it's a rate 1% higher than our Bank of America loan.

We got one of those calls three weeks ago, and agreed to take out a sum of money at the Prime Rate.  Today, I get the statement in the mail, and they have us at a 15% rate, almost double what was promised.  When I call in, the 12 year old on the phone  tells me it's supposed to be at a prime plus 1% rate, but since I don't have the reference number of the person who originally put the information through, he can't do anything.  He has no notes on the matter in the system.

To make it worse - he now says that because we received the funds electronically instead of by check, we're going to be charged the 15%.  I told him his money was coming back to him that day, and hang up, sadly not taking the survey.  What really irritates me is I spoke with another representative of Wells Fargo last week and they had the notes in my system - they waived a fee for us (we don't pay like paying fees).  I was satisfied, and it seemed like we were on the right footing.  She even told me last week my new rate was going to be 7.75% because the Prime Rate had dropped.  So now - this guy tells me I'm eligible only for Prime +1, but it doesn't matter, because they had given me a rate of 15%, and unless I gave them the reference number, I was SOL.

After I cooled off, I called back, and now I'm waiting to see if they can fix it.  On hold for 10 minutes, I said to heck with it - and shot them off a check.

What bothers me is that they called us.  If they can so casually throw around a large sum of money like that, and not document any of it, how confident am I that they'll get anything right relating to my bill?

So I sent their money back to them.  It's costing me $77 in fees for the few days I had it, which will probably go to $100 before all is said and done, and I guess I should consider it a blessing it wasn't more.  At least I didn't spend the money, right?  I wonder if Wells Fargo monitors their brand online.  I tell you what - I won't be paying attention to the people calling anymore, and I'm going to tell them why.

Because I don't trust Wells Fargo business bankers.

Update:  This post is now on the first page of Google for "Wells Fargo Business Line of Credit".  If you're taking out a business loan, and you read this, please send me a note.  I'd love to contact Wells Fargo and let them know how many people are unhappy with either their service, or nervous about working with them.

Update

Finally, Someone Kills Off Office Birthday Parties

Nothing is worse for office morale than an office birthday party.  Rounding you up from the work you're supposed to do, chipper people instruct us to gather around the breakroom for a special occasion, namely Bill's, Sally's, Caitlyn's birthday cake unveiling.

Ugh.  Unlike sundaes, coffee, and beer, birthday cake's mix of lard-based frosting and pure sugar puts you to sleep, or rather a coma, about fifteen minutes after ingesting two pieces of sugared birthday goodness.

But no more, corporate America.  No more torture.  No - it's not a ruling handed down by OSHA - it's the new insurance regulations. If you eat the birthday cake - your insurance premiums are going up.

That's right.  Unhealthy people, including those who smoke, are obese, or have high cholesterol, are no longer going to get a free ride on the backs of the Tofu-eaters.

While many employers have been using financial incentives to encourage participation in wellness programs, one company will begin charging employees more for their health insurance in 2009 if they allow health risks such as tobacco use, obesity or high cholesterol to go unchecked.

It's all part of the new rules - and you have to figure that if companies on private insurance are starting to pull these stunts, government is next.  Free healthcare, as long as you don't eat Twinkies.  Sounds like a campaign slogan for someone.

The company, Clarian Health in Indiana, is instituting a $5 per paycheck fine for people who fail to meet certain health standards.

The program will assess $5 per-paycheck fees on employees who do not meet minimum standards for body mass index, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure and nonuse of tobacco. Although it will not be fully implemented until 2009, the effort was announced this year to give employees plenty of warning, Wantz says.

Personally, I'd laugh at them, and stuff my face with oreos and pork fat.  But then again, I've always been a little bit of a rebel.

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Find San Francisco jobs at SanFranJobs.com.

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Don't Hire US Workers Says PA Law Firm

MNHeadhunter has an unbelievable video - as in - you won't believe it when you see it.

A Pennsylvania law firm, Cohen and Grigsby, gave a presentation in a marketing seminar where they taught US companies how to disqualify US workers from jobs so they could hire H1-B workers for cheaper rates.

You heard that right.  First - watch the video, which came from Slashdot.

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Next, take a good look at the number of H1-B workers in your local companies here in St Louis. 
Ask yourself if your company could be so low, so disloyal, that they woud voluntarily disqualify talented US workers to get a cheaper rate.

Cohen and Grigsby can't be the only ambulance-chasers pulling this on the American worker.  If you have any information on this going on in St Louis, send a confidential e-mail via that link on the right hand side.

And if you're an immigration lawyer, feel free to send me a note defending the practice - if you can.

Despicable.  I say we deport the Cohen and Grisby lawyers.

And one last thing.  If we're going to make it a practice to bring back indentured servitude, can we drop the high and mighty rhetoric about immigration being good for the country?  The people who are the worst treated in this situation are the H1-B workers themselves, who are paid less than they are worth on the open market, locked into their jobs without hope of moving for fear of losing their employment status, and also put in a position where they are intensely disliked by American workers because the companies are using them to squeeze down wages.

There is supposed to be a law that H1-B workers are paid the market rate, which means no cutting wages.  I wonder if the attorneys at Cohen and Grisby can be caught cheating on that requirement. 

Outsourcing Your Own Job

There is a lot of anger in the tech community about the outsourcing of jobs to India.  Developers and help-desk reps find themselves increasingly marginalized by profit-hungry corporations whose biggest cost is, roll drums please, labor costs.

But not everyone is taking it sitting down. This could be an urban legend, but Wired reports on a a tech who decided to reap the benefits of outsourcing by cutting out the middle man.

Did you hear the one about the programmer who outsourced his own job? I read about it on Slashdot.org, the "news for nerds" Web site. A pseudonymous poster wrote, "About a year ago I hired a developer in India to do my job. I pay him $12,000 to do the job I get paid $67,000 for. He's happy to have the work. I'm happy that I only have to work 90 minutes a day, talking code. My employer thinks I'm telecommuting. Now I'm considering getting a second job and doing the same thing."

Of course this isn't a mass movement.  If it's even happening, it will quickly be squelched, as advertising it will lead to the loss of the job by the clever consultant.

But still - God Bless American Ingenuity, eh?

The Salesman/Entrepreneur/Pharmaceutical Rep's Car

The best ideas are always the one where you hear it and think, how come no one has done that before?"  Business Pundit uncovers one, asking why the car-bound mobile professional doesn't have their own type of car.  The post covers an interview in Businessweek of Clayton Christensen, the author of The Innovator's Dilemma.

There are about 30 million Americans for whom [a car] serves as their office. Isn't it interesting that nobody has designed a car to work as an office? They pull up to Starbucks (SBUX) and go in to use their T-Mobile hot spot or if they're in Silicon Valley they'll pull up next to someone's apartment building to mooch off their Wi-Fi because they can't access the Internet in their car.

They stop at a stoplight, their notebook computer falls onto the floor. They can't recharge their computer because the electrical system was not designed to do it and there's no docking station. They throw sales literature in the backseats. Nobody's designed a car to do that job. If you understand the job, the opportunities to differentiate are just extraordinary.

For years, the standard sales car was the Ford Taurus.  I still have mine, in large part because when a former boss told me to go out and buy a sales car, I thought a Taurus would do the trick. Not too flashy, so they wouldn't complain about the bill rates, but not too cheap, so they wouldn't think you were a bad salesman.

In uncovering this section of the market, Christensen shows that 30 million people might be tempted to buy a car that provided room for four to sit comfortable, trunk accessories for sales materials, wireless capability, and spaces for laptops, rechargers, and a work space.  I would have jumped all over that car because it's usefulness would outweigh the premium.

And car makers - it's not too late.  It worked for Mary Kay, it will work for you.

Small Business Loans At 6%

As a small business owner,  I get a lot of offers for credit.  So many that I'm convinced that purchasing a shredder was the single most important business expense I've had in the last two years.

But today, a thought occurred to me, as I was reading the finance blogs for a client.  Why would anyone pay the cash advance fee on a credit card?  It would seem that if you needed cash, the smartest way to get it is to pull the cash out, and immediately transfer the balance to another card with a 0% or 1.99% rate.  The most you would pay was $75 for the balance transfer, and probably some kind of fee around 3% for the cash advance, but even then, your maximum cost for that credit is 6%, and if you take out more than $2500, your cost is less than 6%.

Now don't get me wrong - I don't see this as a very smart way to manage your money. If you make a mistake like a late payment, or if you wait until your teaser rate is up, you'll end up paying more, but you can always transfer that payment to another card.

As a business owner, I get a 8.25% rate on my business line of credit.  Now, that interest is tax-deductible, and so the actual cost may come down, but if I'm just looking for some quick cash, I wonder which makes more economic sense.

I don't plan on trying it - if you make a mistake with credit cards, you're in a whole world of hurt, but if you're taking out cash advances, well, why would you pay 24% or more?

This Is Why People Never Trust Auditors

I saw this story submitted at Recruiting.com about Top Funniest Job Horror Stories from JobMob, and it made me laugh out loud.  The original story came from Tales of Corporate Oppression.

“I once got talking to a guy whose job it was to go into a company, sit alongside the Systems Administrator for two weeks, and write a professional audit on his processes and practices.

Naturally the sys admin would be on his best behavior, showing off all the clever things he did to keep the company’s computer network ticking over.

At the end of the two weeks, the sys admin would be fired. There was never any audit: this was just the method the company used to replace their IT people without disruption, making sure the new guy was trained up and the old guy didn’t cause any damage before he left.”

I've heard of this kind of thing from an auditing standpoint, but thankfully never worked for a company that was involved in this kind of story.

Working from Home: Friend or Foe?

The following is a Blogswap article from Alexandra Levit.

Two and a half days a week, I work from home.  I‚ve had the opportunity to do this full time, but I haven't.  This baffles some people to no end.  Wait, they say.  You are actually choosing to dress up and go to an office instead of sitting in front of your computer in your PJs? Why on earth would you do that?

People who have typical 9-5 jobs tend to think of telecommuting as the holy grail of work situations, but the truth is, until you‚ve tried it, you have no idea whether you would actually like it or not.  You also don‚t know if it would even be productive.  See, it takes a particular sort of person to be effective working from home.  Because no one will be looking over your shoulder to ensure that your tasks get done, you have to be able to set your own deadlines and be disciplined about adhering to them.  You have to be willing and able to focus, ignoring potential distractions like the TV or the Xbox.  And you have to be okay spending lots and lots of time alone.

Your Fabulous Economy

If your read the Post-Dispatch, or even just glance at the front page, you may be under the impression that the rich are getting richer, the poor struggle, and the middle-class are getting squeezed in the great American economy.

Census Report:  More Are Struggling to Get By:

This is the problem with glancing at headlines - even when they are right, they're often right.

Here's something to take note of:  You're living in the best economy in the history of the world.  Right now.  Today.  So why are Americans gloomy about their fabulous economy.

Charts and Graphs, says one professor.  If you compare the Clinton and Bush years you see a robust economy, but a tremendous shift in opinion about how the economy is doing.  How do you reconcile that?   One could be as crass as suggesting media bias, but that seems a bit too obvious, so I leave it up to my readers to come up with theories as to why similar numbers in GDP growth and unemployment rates lead to such wide headlines.

Let's take a look at other theories. 

Office Suppy Thieves

Career Journal writes an article about stealing office supplies.   It seems that younger people take supplies (or at least admit they do).

Younger workers are more likely to make off with office supplies for personal use than older workers, and they're less prone to feel guilty about it, according to a new survey.

Nearly one in five, or 18%, of workers report having taken office supplies for personal use in the past year, according to a survey of 1,630 employed adults in the U.S. from staffing agency Spherion Corp. and Harris Interactive.

Here's the thing.  The oldview is that everyone steals.  The difference is  small-time thieves take office supplies, and major crooks steal pension funds.  What this means is that it's not the thievery that matters to the average person, it's the amount.

But the survey doesn't tell us the reasons behind stealing, but rather that young people are more likely to have "sticky fingers."

Could it be that younger people, raised in the shadow of a media barrage against corporate malfeasance, simply don't consider the corporate world to be trustworthy?  90% of workers in the US work for a corporation.  There is a socializing effect to corporate life, well-documented in studies on how corporate employees exert peer pressure to conform.

Could it be that the image of a corporation as no longer caring about its employees has seeped into the American definition of work?  Maybe young adults, who grew up watching stories of corporate layoffs rationalize petty theft as payback for an unfair and uncaring corporate world.

Maybe.  Or it could be psychobabble.

Monday Morning Motivation

I used to have some pretty hard core sales managers. They knew a lot of stories and sayings to ramp up the call center in the morning.

This is one from memory:

"No" Problem

As a salesman, you got a tough job.  Every day you take rejection.  Most calls end with a "no thank you," unless you're Frank, who gets cursed at, hung up on, and even threatened last Thursday.  Tough week last week Frank - you keep pounding those phones and it'll happen.

So we hear NO a lot.  That's our job.  But are you going to accept that NO?  When a prospect is on the phone, they're listening.  If you get them for three seconds or thirty seconds, you know they're listening and you know they can use our product.

So when they say no, they're not saying no to the product - they're saying "no" to you.  Are you going to accept that "No?"  Are you going to meekly say thank you and move on?  In every call, you make a choice when they say no.  No can mean "I'm busy, not right now, send me some info, let me pass you on to my sales manager, whatever, it's still a decision maker giving you a no.

Let me tell you what happens - you collect those no's.  You put in a pile on your desk.  Every No you accept, every prospect you don't fight for, every time you give up, you take that no, and you put it in a pile on your desk.  And when you go home tonight, you take that pile of No's and you put it in your briefcase.  You take that pile home and you sit at the dinner table and you bring your family into the room.  Then you start handing those No's out.

To your wife, you tell her you can't fix the dryer this month.  You tell her no to the dryer, to eating out, to the nice trip you had planned.  NO
To your son, you tell him to make do with that old glove he's had.  He doesn't get a new one this year.  Maybe next year.  NO
To your daughter, you tell her you can't afford those braces just yet.  NO

Maybe you don't have a family yet.  Well, you tell your girlfriend you can't take her out this week - can't afford it.  If she'll wait a little longer, maybe you can afford to buy that ring.  NO

You tell your landlord, NO, I don't have that rent.  You tell your church, NO, I can't give you money this week.  You tell your friends NO, you can't go fishing this month, you can't buy a present for your mother.

And don't forget to give yourself those NO's.  NO, you can't provide for your family,  NO, you can't impress that pretty girl, NO, you can't buy that new house, or new car, or even buy something besides Mac and Cheese for dinner.

You take all those NO's and you dole them out to the people you care about.  Keep that in mind when you're on the phone today.  Are you going to take the no?  Who are you going to give it to when you get home?  Do you want No?  Are you afraid? 

Maybe you do want that No.  Maybe success isn't for you.  If that's the case, you might as well get up and walk out now.  We don't take no's here.  We're winners.  We make no into yes, and we go home and we tell our wife "YES!"  We tell our kids "YES!"  We tell ourselves, "YES!"  We are winners.  We do provide!  We do succeed!

Get on the phones and don't take no for an answer.  Dismissed.

Weekly Newsletter

Some of you may not know, but I edit the weekly newsletter for Recruiting.com.

This week's copy of the newsletter is posted online.  This is last week's, THIS WEEK
 

We've been trying different formats, including pdf, html, and a mix of content that ranges from a blogopsheric round-up to strategic recruiting issues.

 Sign up here to receive THIS WEEK each week, and let me know that you think.

Digg(ing) for Five Lies at Work

The check is in the mail is an old one, so Fast Company gave us the five most prevalent work lies, and what they really mean.

This one was always my favorite:

Lie: "This is business, it isn't personal."

Truth: "Everything's personal."

B.S. Detector: "As people, we get mad at each other," says LaFontaine. "Attempts to avoid it are cowardly. So get mad. Then get over it and move on." LaFontaine believes that any disagreement can be handled with an honest conversation.

What's funny is the way you take this when you hear it as work has a lot to do with how well you get along with the person saying it.

I've been on both sides, nodding in agreement when in didn't affect me, and snorting in disbelief when watching someone justify their actions.

A good rule of thumb when at work:  Remember that your supervisors, employees, and fellow employees are not perfect, and they are not evil.  They're people who should be treated according to their actions, not according to your expectations.  I'm sure David St Lawrence would agree that following that rule will save you a lot of grief in the workplace.

hat tip:  digg.com

 

Insurance

One of the tasks I had when starting my business was consolidating insurance into one carrier.  I decided to go with Franki's person, State Farm Agent Howard Palmer.

When Franki and I got to his office, he sat us down and started asking questions - not about insurance, but about what we did and who we were.

He was curious about us - genuinely curious, and not in a salesy way.  Howard and his wife and their staff are great people.  I would suggest them for anyone - and they knocked $300 of my insurance bill even though we expanded coverage.

So fo your car, house, life, and other needs call Howard at 636-928-0957, or e-mail him.

If you are a staffing agency, and you have independent contractors that require General Liability and Worker's Comp for subcontracting purposes - stick him in your rolodex.  He's a good guy to know. 

Sourcing Queen

Maureen Sharib is a sourcer.  Her company is called TechTrak. 

What this means is she is an expert at using the phone to gather lists of names for sales, recruiting, analysis, competitive intelligence and general curiousity,

I know Maureen from Recruiting.com and ErExchange.com where her passion and boundless creativity enrich sourcing and recruiting discussions.

Sourcing is a crazy business - an offshoot of recruiting that is finally starting to get the recognition it deserves as a separate business essential to the needs of ever company.  Oh sure, you could buy a subscription to Hoover's or InfoUsa, but who has the time and the money to pay general fees to do all the work yourself.

You wouldn't believe how cost-effective it is to use a sourcer like Maureen instead of signing up for a subscription fee to a list company.  Oh, and you actually get the information you were looking for instead of having access to the information you were looking for.

Here's the thing - Maureen not only is a great sourcer - she is a nice person who believes in paying it forward.  I can tell you this - I would recommend her to anyone with a need for information, I would serve as a reference, and I thought it was about time somebody said something about this woman who se stated job is to improve our business.

Thank you, Maureen.

Setting up a Small Business

So you're ready to take that leap from the corporate world to that of the entrepreneur, eh?  This is a list of the things you have to do to start your own small business.  This is not a comprehensive list, and you can skip some steps, but if you're starting a company, this is a good place to start. Before you do, this is what you'll have to consider:

1. Health Insurance: While COBRA has you covered when you leave, the problem is you pay the entire premium for your company, which with a spouse and kids and depending on your age, could add up to $2000 a month.  Basic health insurance for two healthy adults, one of childbearing years, will run you from $250-$500 a month depending on coverage, which goes up and down with deductibles, choice, and prior medical conditions.  You can buy individual insurance, but it's cheaper to buy it through your company and deduct it.   There's no waiting period if you do it this way, either.  Make sure you don't wait. You don't have to sign up for COBRA for sixty days or ninety days, but if you miss it, you are terminated, which means you have no medical coverage for sixty days.  That means you have to buy HIPAA insurance, which is so expensive you don't even want to know. 
2. Dental Insurance:  Related to the above, but different.  Watch out for waiting periods that could affect major dental work, and whatever you do don't take that DMO.  Dentalplans.com is a place to start, or you can call your dentist and ask them what they prefer.  Less than $30 a month.
3. Incorporation:  Are you going to be a sole proprietor, an LLC, or an S-corporation?  Or maybe an LLC taxed as an S-Corporation?  You can sign up online with the State (MO $105), or you can call a Tax advisor.   I suggest the latter.  Corporations have significant tax advantages, but a lot of risk.  At the same time, many companies, like my former employer, Kforce, require freelancers to be incororated to sign them up as an employee.
4. Tax Advisor:  Just pick up the phone and call one.  Call several.  They are connected with a whole slew of services that will help you get started, and as a CPA, they can help you prepare your taxes.  The key is to speak to one before you start buying, selling, and collecting checks.  Often less than a $1000 a year for basic services.
5. Payroll:  If you're going to get insurance through your company, you need a payroll service, and  Paychex and ADP are there to help out.  Simplify your checks and you'll save money when tax season comes around. ($42 a payoll period).
6. Insurance:  Company Insurance.  Liability and Workman's Comp and sometimes other levels based on the contracts you are signing.  If you have an agent, it usually helps to add the policy to your car and home policy.
7. Bank Account:  You don't have to have a separate bank account, but it sure helps when depositing checks and when you're audited.  Not to mention having an account with your bank lets you get a business credit card, small business loans, and a whole lot more.
8. Car Insurance and Office Space:  Don't forget to carve out a section of your home for your office.  It helps to have an entire room, but talk with your tax advisor on the best way to write off interest and depreciation.  While you're at it, figure out if you want to buy a car and lease it to your corporation, or just write off mileage (Keep a running total).  If you're going to rent out an office, consider HQ Global Workspaces or one of the Executive Suites.  Pricey, but if you can't work from home or need the buzz of the office, these places really help.  $10,000 a year.
9. Phone and Internet Services:  Cable Modem's and a Phone and a Fax may not be cheap, but they are full business expenses.  I suggest Vonage.  $24.99 a month unlimited calls to North America. 
10. Lawyer:  You ought to put one on retainer - just to be safe.  Building a reputation with a lawyer is easy, but having someone read over contracts, send out letters, and protect you from making legal mistakes could save your company.  $1000-2000 retainer
11. Hosting Service and e-mail:  If you have a company, you need a website.  if you're real small, just start a blog and save the money, but if you want a full website, pony up the $8,000 grand for an interactive web designer look for a hosting service ($10-20 a month).  With e-mail you can logon anywhere, and there are lots of free applications with a good service.  We use SuccessfulHosting.com $25 a quarter.
12. Database or CRM:  There are a lot of options, from Access and Outlook to ACT!, Goldmine, and my selection, SugarCRM.  SugarCRM is opensource and a free download.  I had to clean the demo up, but it's an easy system with cross-functionality, clean, and easily upgraded.  Saved me that $200 it did, and it's part of my hosting service.

If you're dizzy by now, it's because there is a lot to do, and it costs a lot to get started.  But it is fun, and every decision is signed by El Presidente (that's you).  The excitement lasts long enough to get everything done.  Now all you need is clients who write you checks.

Good Luck, and contact me at jim@recruiting.com if you have questions.

The Wall Street Journal

I purchased a Wall Street Journal subscription for my wife for Christmas, and I think it was the best Christmas gift I ever bought.

I've read the online version for years, and in fact the online version gave me my first links into blogging with Instapundit and RealClearPolitics, but the print version is worth every dime.

The Technology and MarketPlace sections are better than any local section, and I often find myself saving whole sections to reference for writing and for work.  If you want to stay up on national news, do yourself a favor and get a subscription.  And it's a deductible business expense.

Risk Taking in the New Year

Canadian Headhunter over at Recruiting.com writes about risk and the role of the headhunter.

I don't know if I fit in the category, but on Monday, I resigned my position as an account manager at Kforce.

It's a good company, but when the infrastructure of a company is now a laptop, a phone and a map of the area hot-spots, there's no reason to stay inside if you think you have what it takes.

My non-compete prevents me from starting a recruiting company or accepting business inside St Louis, but I am available to work on independent permanent staffing outside a 75 mile radius.  That will not be a my main goal - though I plan to keep up a heavy emphasis on networking and can be relied on to turn up names with ease, my goal is to start pitching online media consulting to corporations.

Building communities is the advantage of the blogosphere over traditional marketing.  My five years in the blogosphere is currently a big plus - two years from now, the space will be flooded with newcomers, and my shot will be gone.

I can be reached at jim@recruiting.com or diogenescorner@hotmail.com, and if you would like to speak to me for any reason, send a note and I'll pass my cell phone over.

-Jim

p.s.  StlRecruiting will continue and continue to grow.  I'll actually have some time for it now.

Marketing to the Plain Girl: A Blog Marketing Campaign

(this was a comment I made over at Stephen's Baker's post on Businessweek's Blogspotting - I've been thinking about it - and even pitched it to some people as the best way to run a blog marketing campaign. )

Marketing to the Plain Girl:  A Blog Marketing Campaign

Marketers would be better off focusing on well written blogs that address their niche markets - some of the most influential blogs have neither the links nor the traffic to prove it - but they would do a better job driving stories than an A-lister. 

The reasoning behind this is the nature of the network.  Spreading your ads among smaller bloggers has two major advantages over a large buy with a known traffic source.

1) The smaller bloggers will love the attention.  This is, for lack of a better word, a strategy of talking to the plain girl to get the pretty one to like you.  Small blogs - of 50-1000 uniques don't ask for much - but are still an important part of the blogosphere.  Buy 1000 ads with small bloggers for $20 a piece, and the possibilities of getting your ad campaign picked up by A-listers is almost at 100%.  A well-run campaign benefits the blogosphere as a whole - and that is the story the bigger blogs will then write to.   

2) Purchasing on small blogs gives you wide appeal.  Buying 1000 ads, or placing logos on 1000 sites gives you 1000 people talking about your message. Buying ad space on one large blog is essentially no different than buying ad space on a website.  You're not leveraging the power of the blog network to tell your story.

This does not mean that A-listers shouldn't have ads - there are uses for them - but since most of the ads are for t-shirts and mortgages - I don't see the ad money flowing in the way it was projected to from large media buys.

There's more to it, of course - but I think the major problem is most advertising companies think A-list bloggers have some magic power of influence, when the truth is the A-list bloggers are filtering the good ideas from the long tail of the blogosphere and benefitting from the way that a scale-free network functions.

I've been nominated

Really it's just an honor to be nominated.  It doesn't quite seem right for me to be in the contest - seeing as I'm actually a writer for Recruiting.com

I do appreciate the thought on who sent in the e-mail. 

These are the 2005 Recruiting.com Blog Awards 
They are the recruiters, HR managers, executives, and vendors trying their best to increase your chances of finding the right employment.  Browse their sites and find your next recruiter blogger for advice, tips, tricks and, it seems, contests!

Also sign up for the Recruiting.com newsletter, edited by the sma...well, by me.

Target Website: We'd like to help

Our generation loves Target.  Tar-jhay as it is now pronounced, is the epitome of cool - better than Walmart  or  Kmart, and with the big Red logo - instantly recognizable and wonderful.

But no one is perfect - as we are about to see.  Go to www.target.com.  As of 6:50 a.m. CST, the Target website has what is commonly known as a Z-index error.**

Why do I point this out?  To prove the power of blogs.   My wife notices an error, I point it out on the blog, and we're curious if while doing a web search, if Target notices it.  Chances are they will see it themselves - but if not - we're helping them correct it.
We'll update when it is solved. 

Update:  Target fixed it - pretty fast - it was done by 8:30 (which is just when I checked) - ont he other hand, typing http://target.com into the browser doesn't work.  Who are these companies that forget to do this?  I refuse to type www. into a site anymore. Fix this Target!

Update II:  Wow - Target fixed the Cname issue too - by 2:00!  It certainly wasn't me - but Target has someone who is really on the ball. Give that webmaster a raise.

The Power of Giving in Networking

(This is an excellent primer for the 50 and Fired Crowd)  More links here and here

To continue the earlier discussion on the importance of networking - there is a sense that men and women approach the issue separately.  Men have the distinct disadvantage of pride when it comes to networking.  While a woman would take the time to learn enough personal items about an individual to feel comfortable (some say too comfortable) asking for a favor, a man will almost universally not ask for help when he is not sure that it will be given.

There is nothing worse for a man's pride than hearing the word "no" when he requires help.  It's bad enough that you're in a position of weakness, required to ask for help to find a job, to look for information, or even something as simple as needing a strong back to help you with a move.  When someone says "no," it reinforces your lack of power, your lack of control.  It emphasizes your helplessness.

So how can relevant networking get you want you want?  Is there a way to emphasize traditional male strengths in your networking that will enhance your chances of getting a "yes," when you need it most?

You already know the answer.

Fraud Alert

Click on the image.  It's a phishing scam I almost fell for.  I was online with my bank, and then checked my mail.  This alert popped up - and the timing didn't seem suspicious - so I clicked the link - and realized my bank doesn't have this e-mail address.

So see what happens?  I'm no novice - but this almost caught me because I was just online.

Watch out for this.  Banks never request this information. 

More 50 and Fired

More on the topic of 50 and Fired.    Some new stuff at Recruiting.com.

And a new aricle, written by Lance Schneider.

I'm sure you have already given some thought to the size and scope of the Baby Boomer generation, but have you really put yourself in their shoes?  What if you have worked in a job that was basically unfulfilling for the last 20 years; or what if you were coerced into retirement earlier than you expected; or worse yet, what if you failed to adequately save for your retirement and still needed to work for several more years?  It could be pretty scary moving into the next phase of your career or 'post retirement career".  But you still had a lot to offer.  You still host a breadth of information in that gray noggin of yours.  How would you want to be treated by a recruiter or a potential employer? 

Graybar Job Posting for a Blogger!

Is it True?  Does Graybar Electric have blogs?

This position certainly seem to suggest so.

Graybar Electric, St Louis MO

Internet Marketing Manager opportunity with a Fortune 500 Company. Experience utilizing Internet Marketing to successfully grow awareness, generate leads and positively impact customer acquisition and retention.

Part of the description reads:  Manage Graybar’s use of blogs or other Internet based communication channels for marketing purposes...Proven ability to integrate new Internet marketing tools such as blogs into existing Internet marketing initiatives.

Graybar - welcome to the cutting edge in St Louis!  Where are the rest of you?

Long Tail and We are the Web.

Great find by George of George's Employment Blawg.  It's titled We are the Web.  I hope to have something up on the Long Tail and this article soon.

Alright, Sunny D!

I have a post up at the Fast Company blog for BlogJam 2005.

yeah me.

Thanks Fast Company.  I'll renew that subscription now.

E-Business Hiring - Guest Post

This article was written by Lance Schneider, Founder of StatBoss.com, a Webtracking and Website analytics company. He can be reached at info@statboss.com

Hiring the Right People to Manage the e-Business Unit of a Company is Tricky

Here Are Some Tips on What to Look for, and Why it’s So Important…

The technical revolution is still in full swing.  In fact, most business-to-business companies are just now getting their heads around what it means to be an electronic enabled company.  But hiring the right people to head up this transformation can be daunting.  For instance, current figures show that 90-95% of all new business your company receives will touch your Website in some way.  85% will come to your site directly as a result of an Internet search, and the other 5-10% will go to your site just to ‘check you out’ as a result of another marketing, sales or word of mouth campaign.  These numbers cannot be ignored.  Neither can the numbers and information being generated behind the scenes.

Tough on Grease, Soft on Hands

Went to Target this weekend to purchase a shower caddy. And some dish soap. I was given the privilege, nay, the responsibility to purchase dishwashing liquid for our new condo.

I chose ultra Palmolive - original. I'm looking at it right now.

It's the green bottle, but it has some extra stickers. I was sufficiently disturbed by the stickers, that I tried to call them on the number provided (800-338-8388). They weren't open on a Sunday, but they do have a nice number for the Colgate Medical Emergency team in case someone drank it.

I was left with a note to Colgate-Palmolive that I submitted on the website, and I'd like to share it with you.

"I purchased this product at a Target in Chesterfield today, and was struck by something on the package. I purchased, Ultra Palmolive, with a pink banner on the bottom saying, "original." One would assume this meant the original formula for Palmolive was the one I was purchasing. To my surprise and dismay, there was another message on the label -"New Improved."

Now maybe this seems obvious, but if a product is indeed "original," it seems impossible for it to also be "new improved."

New Business Development

So I want to try something new.  I'm going to bleg some referrals out of my readers.  I'm been doing well with placements, but my business thrives on new blood.  With that in mind, I've decided to post a list of prospects that I do not have current business with, but would like to know more about.

In six months, I'd like to say that 3 or 4 of these prospects are clients on the way to being long-term recruiting partners with me.  With that in mind, when you click below the fold, take a look at these companies and let me know if there's anyone that works at these companies that you personally know.

It doesn't matter if they are they are the lowest or highest paid person in the building - I'm just curious about knowing more.  If a name leads in some way, through my efforts or through a direct referral to a hiring manager, I'll buy the referrer a nice dinner, although they have to eat it with me.

With that said, here's the list - it's applicable only to St Louis, and to respond, send me an e-mail at diogenescorner@hotmail.com   

You're Always on the Job

I stepped out of my building yesterday and saw a man interviewing on a cell phone.   It's common to see it, and it alway makes me smile.  Doesn't everyone know how suspicious it is?

The man was talking about technology, so I groped for a card, and realized I had none, not even in my car.  Personally, I think I missed out - that man could have my next placement.  Salespeople should always have their cards on them.

Imagine his surprise if I walked past, tucked a card in his shirt pocket, winked, and walked away.

StlMgmt

The networking meeting went very well.

We had 11 people from 11 different companies in St Louis meet to listen to a lecture and discuss the topic of Social Networks and Supply Chain Optimization last Friday.  I'll get the text up later this week - and this week, I'll be sending out interview requests and try to get a few managers to post on a topic here.

Good News on the employment front - as offers for 2005 grads move up the salary chart.  And if you're curious about this employee blogging thing -check out there two links.

George Lenard, with an employment lawyers' take. (part of a series)

My post on corporate blogging as a conversation.

Customer Service Dead

What's following is a factual representation of how a sporting goods store failed to satisfy a customer.  The store?  Dick's Sporting Goods in the West County
Mall.  Their failure?  Treating customers as expendable.  This is an eyewitness account of how not to keep customers.

A friend of stlrecruiting.com went to Dick's Sporting Goods to purchase an elliptical trainer on 05/08/05 to purchase the Horizon Fitness CSE3 Club Series Elliptical trainer.  They browsed the fitness department for about ten minutes while a group of sales people congregated at a checkout, chatting.  When someone did come offer, they found out that the model they sought was not in stock.  The salesperson offered to sell them a broken floor model of the Horizon  Elliptical trainer...

StlMgmt Networking - May 20th

For those of you cool enoughto be a part of it, don't forget that May 20th is the next StlMgmt Networking Group.

We have a dual-Phd whose coming in to give us a mini-lecture on the "science of networks" and how it affects our business decisions.

Topics in July and August will be Security and the ongoing requirements of Sarbannes-Oxley.

Splenda(R) and Recruiting

The reason for this story is on Recruiting.com.  This post.

Why is Splenda the perfect recruiting. tool?  Two reasons.

50 and Life.

Recruiting.com links me!  They really link me!  Well, Jason links me in the comments.  - one of our compadres from the great frozen land of caribou and famous entertainers links to this Fortune article that would have been cooler if it was a Skid Row song rip off.

Choice Quote?  "You go into upscale suburbs, and what you see is lots of guys with laptops and cellphones, trying to look busy at the Starbucks."  followed by

"In 1991, long before Starbucks became the waiting lounge of the damned, FORTUNE published a story about unemployed executives."

Great quotes.  The meat of the story is a good one, once they've managed to get past the blubbering and the complaints.